Five takeaways from the Thunder’s Game One loss

Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) looks up during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) looks up during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder head coach Billy Donovan reacts after the end of the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; OKC Thunder head coach Billy Donovan reacts after the end of the third quarter against the Houston Rockets in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

1. There’s a method to Billy Donovan’s madness

Remember what happened in Game One of the San Antonio series last year? The Thunder got demolished, Billy Donovan made a few interesting coaching decisions and everybody panicked. Then Oklahoma City proceeded to win four of the next five and take the series.

More from Thunderous Intentions

Billy D is a chestmaster. Every move he makes is with an eye towards the future. He knows they can’t play Enes Kanter anymore, we have visual evidence. Now he has three full days to concoct a completely different strategy for this high-powered Houston offense. He also has a pissed-off Russell Westbrook ready to tackle film and figure out his own personal adjustments.

Maybe that means Doug McDermott gets unleashed as a Ryan Anderson clone. Or it could be they go ultra-big and do the exact opposite of everything I’ve just said. I have no clue.

But what I do know is Billy Donovan has given me no reason to not trust him in his nearly two years of service. And even if they lose this series I’ll still trust Donovan.

Because the biggest takeaway from tonight is that Houston is a much better basketball team at this point in time than Oklahoma City.